Author Archives: Alan Rhoda

Which is More Like Alchemy – Darwinism or ID?

In my previous post I linked to a recent essay by William Dembski, one of the leading figures in the Intelligent Design (ID) movement. In the essay, he argues that Darwinism is significantly analogous to alchemy such that, like alchemy, its scientific merits should be suspect. In should mention that Dembski doesn’t use the term… Read More »

My Dissertation

I’ve decided to make my dissertation available for download. Entitled “The Problem of Induction: An Epistemological and Methodological Response”, I examine and reject most of the extant proposals for “solving” the problem and develop a novel approach to the issue that, I think, works, at least in broad outline. If I were to rewrite it… Read More »

Toward a Probabilistic Model of Divine Providence

One of my long-term goals is to explore the consequences for divine providence on the assumption that open theism (OT) is correct. As I shall understand it here, OT is defined by the following commitments: Monotheism: There exists one and only one God who is personal; necessarily existent; and essentially omnipotent, omniscient, and morally perfect.… Read More »

Quantum Indeterminacy and Miracles

In a comment on an earlier thread, C Grace posed me the question: Do you think QI [quantum indeterminacy] is needed for God to manipulate the material universe without breaking His natural laws? It seems to me that without QI, God’s freedom to affect the physical universe would be limited to what he could do… Read More »

Is Quantum Indeterminacy Necessary for Free Will?

OK, I’m back from vacation and well-rested. Writing-wise, I’m currently finishing an epistemology paper on inferential justification and skepticism. Reading-wise, I’m wrapping up Trenton Merricks’ interesting book Objects and Persons, in which he defends the interesting thesis that conscious organisms are the only macrophysical objects there are. On his view, things like chairs, statues, brains,… Read More »